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From Ashes to Sanctuary: A Dance of Destruction and Creation-In-Person and Virtual Worship

Newly ordained Rev. Phoenix Bell-Shelton Biggs invites us to explore the sacred dance of destruction and creation, recognizing it as an ongoing cycle that holds the power to transform our world. Acknowledging the destructive forces of sin, oppression, and harm, Rev. Phoenix calls us to confront and dismantle systems that perpetuate suffering and injustice. Drawing from a variety of spiritual and philosophical traditions, including the work of adrienne maree brown in Pleasure Activism, they highlight how destruction, while painful, can create space for new possibilities and renewal.

 

Through the metaphor of dance, Rev. Phoenix encourages us to view destruction not as a sorrowful end but as an act of courageous, joyful resistance that creates the conditions for deeper healing and transformation. In this context, creation becomes an active, vibrant process rooted in love, justice, and collective care as we rebuild and restore what has been broken.

 

In this sermon, sanctuary is envisioned as a spiritual home, a place of refuge where we can return throughout our personal and communal cycles of destruction and creation. Here, in spaces of love and mutual support, we find the strength to continue our transformation work. Join us as we reflect on how we can contribute to creating a world where justice, peace, and compassion thrive—today and for future generations—through our collective acts of love, resistance, and creation.

Bio: The Rev. Phoenix Bell-Shelton Biggs is an ordained Unitarian Universalist Minister, a fierce advocate for social justice, and a compassionate spiritual care provider. As a Queer, BIPOC, and non-binary individual, their ministry is rooted in radical love and sanctuary movements dedicated to disrupting patriarchy and dismantling systems of oppression. Rev. Phoenix has served as an intern minister at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, VA (2022-2024), and holds leadership roles in transformative organizations such as the UU Mental Health Network (UUMN), the UU Young Adult Revival Network (UUYARN), and Transgender Religious-professional Unitarian Universalists Together (TRUUsT). They will soon complete a spiritual health residency at Emory University Hospital before entering congregational ministry.

Rev. Phoenix earned an M.Div from Meadville Lombard Theological School (2024), a BS in Religious Studies (2021), and an AS in Media Production (2018), each degree empowering them to advocate for marginalized communities and provide inclusive, healing pastoral care. Outside of their ministry, Rev. Phoenix finds joy in nature, vegan food, theater, and coffee—grounding themselves in the beauty and balance of life. Their journey is driven by a deep commitment to building a more just, loving, and liberated world for all.

(You can watch our worship service streamed at 11 am on our Facebook page https://tinyurl.com/yfx9pnx6, or our website https://tvuuc.org/ and also on our YouTube channel https://tinyurl.com/ycksxc98.)